Yoga Is for Everyone: An Interview with David Swenson

When I began practicing yoga 18 years ago, I often heard other yogis talking about their teachers or gurus. One day, about five or six years ago, I asked the universe if I would ever meet my teacher. Shortly thereafter, while visiting my mother in Austin, Texas, she surprised me by introducing me to someone a friend of hers said was an excellent yoga teacher. I walked into this home, and imagine my surprise when I saw David Swenson. I had read his book, Ashtanga: The Practice Manual, numerous times and had practiced to his DVDs. With stars aligned and a little help from my mom, the universe had answered my question. I had met my teacher. His warmth, humor, and compassion made me feel entirely comfortable to be around him.

Ashtanga yoga is a tradition started in India by Sri J. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) that consists of six sequences of postures known as “series.” Although very few practitioners ever become proficient above the third level, what makes David unique is that he modifies poses to fit the individual so the average person and those with limitations can enjoy the practice at whatever level they are comfortable.

Ashtanga yoga involves dynamic interconnecting postures that create a sense of flow and movement between the static poses of yoga (vinyasas) . The poses are always done in the same order, with the yogi maintaining internal focus throughout the practice. The purpose of Ashtanga yoga is to purify the body and create a balance between strength and flexibility.

Recently, in anticipation of a workshop that David and Shelly Washington, his wife and co-teacher, will conduct at Shri Yoga Center in Highland Park (February 8-10), I contacted David, who graciously found the time for the following interview.

ZN : Thank you for allowing us this special time with you. I know you are probably traveling the world at a breakneck pace as Ashtanga continues to surge in popularity. To start, what would Guruji think of all the continued growth in the number of people practicing yoga?

DS : Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you! Yes, I am traveling as much as ever and am currently in Europe. Pattabhi Jois was very pleased that Ashtanga yoga was increasing in popularity around the world. He made his first trip to the U.S. in 1975, and I was fortunate to be there when he arrived. There was only a handful of us, but we had great enthusiasm and energy, and he reciprocated with the same. Guruji loved to teach and to spend time with his students. It is hard to find a photo of him when he is not smiling. The more people interested in Ashtanga yoga, the happier he was.

ZN : What is the most important thing you would like people to know about Ashtanga yoga?

DS : The main thing I emphasize is that Ashtanga yoga is a universal tool for life that has applications within all walks of life. I show that Ashtanga can be applied evenly to every person. It is like a soothing balm for life and a medicine for coping with challenges and stresses of everyday living. I watched Pattabhi Jois teach a quadriplegic boy in Mysore in 1977, and it was amazing! I have personally worked with people of great physical ability and those with very limited ability, and the wonder and positive vibration of Ashtanga is experienced equally. There have been people in my classes missing limbs, people without sight or hearing, students needing to learn better how to concentrate, stressed out business executives or professionals, seekers of spiritual life and purpose, young kids, parents, and elderly people. They all experience something positive and wondrous. That is really the power of yoga in general, not just Ashtanga. The taste of yoga is the same regardless of the style. The goal is always one of increased prana [life force] and positive influence in one’s life.

ZN : What is the biggest misconception about Ashtanga?

DS : I would say that the largest misconception is that Ashtanga is just some form of rigorous activity that is only for the very fit or young person. As I mentioned, my experience is that it is a truly universal method. It just requires an adept teacher to understand how to apply the practice to the needs of the individual. Ashtanga yoga is for anyone.

ZN : What is the most common “mistake” you see Ashtanga practitioners make?

DS : I think the same mistake is made in all methods of yoga, and that is impatience. When we begin to practice yoga, we carry with us myriad tools that we have used in our life. In the early days it was just hippies doing yoga. They carried a laid-back attitude and were not in a hurry.

Today, since yoga has spread into all fabric of society, there are successful people from many walks of life coming into class and carrying their life tools along with them. These are the things that have worked for them up to this point and helped them to be successful. The professional athlete or dancer has excelled due to his or her persistence and an attitude to push beyond perceived limitations and even sometimes to the extent of ignoring pain. The successful businessperson has worked longer hours and learned to ignore failures and to push ahead to succeed. The busy parent has had to learn to multitask and carry on. These attributes have all been a great asset in their lives. Then when they come to a yoga class, they hear the teacher say, “Yoga is not competitive, and we must move slowly and with awareness, and the real goal is to feel better and not to achieve an asana.” Well, really that is like some kind of foreign language that does not even register in the context of their previous experiences. So it takes time to understand that pushing, hurrying, striving, overachieving, and going beyond limitations is not a good approach for yoga. In fact, that approach in yoga is a recipe for disaster and will most certainly lead to injury or just general fatigue and frustration.

I explain to students that we must think in terms of decades when practicing yoga. In its most simple terms I attempt to demonstrate the point by saying, “The strongest trees in the forest grow the slowest.” Patience is our greatest tool in yoga and also in life. Practice requires discipline, regulation, and time, but it can also be a fun and energizing journey.

ZN : Some of us have experienced the awesome energy of your wife, Shelley Washington, as she co-teaches with you. What would you like people to know about her?

DS : Shelley is a bright light, a soothing balm, a force to be reckoned with, and an inspiration to all who have had the great fortune to meet and spend time with her. She has a magnetic personality and a megawatt smile. She is funny, compassionate, and insightful and brings the experience to a deeper level by her presence. I am a lucky man to have her in my life!

ZN : We are so eager to welcome you both to Shri Yoga in February. What should we expect when we step onto our mats with you and Shelley at the helm?

DS : All that Shelley and I ask is that people come with a deep breath, a sense of humor, and a willingness to explore their practice with us, and I believe they are sure to return home with a smile on their face!

It is beyond an honor to call David Swenson and Shelley Washington my teachers. Their humor, insight, and experience are amazing.

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David Swenson and Shelley Washington will conduct a workshop at Shri Yoga Studio, 1725 McGovern Street, Highland Park, Illinois, the weekend of February 8-10. To register, call 847.847.4043 or visit shriyogacenter.com.

Zoe Nitsun teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Hot yoga at studios across the North Shore. She leads the Ashtanga yoga program at Shri Yoga Center, which offers both Mysore and led classes. When not teaching and practicing, Zoe spends her time with her three children and husband. She can be reached at znitsun@aol.com .